Facets Children’s Programs and the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival

Chicago International Children’s Film Festival

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Literacy Through Media

A Workshop for Teachers of Grades 2-8

This workshop is for teachers who wish to convert media from an obstacle to students’ progress into a tool for growth and learning.

In order to teach students to pay attention to media in new ways, workshop participants will view short films for youth, then go on to discuss the ways in which the film could be a curricular tool and a bridge into learning.

In the second phase of the workshop, teachers learn methods to conduct discussions with students about their experiences with media and their responses to the films they see in class. In this way, media is used as a springboard to building communication skills. Teachers learn to foster students’ ability to respect the ideas of others, and learn tolerance for differences of opinion.

As a means of modelling an active, engaged response to media, teachers will participate in basic “reviewing” activities to stimulate critical thinking about media, including storyboarding and giving oral and written reviews. Teachers will learn that the viewing process itself should not be passive. An active approach to media use frees children from absorbing media in indiscriminate ways that can prove dangerous to the development of their minds and behavior.

In this workshop, teachers will:

  • Learn what it means for children to be “good watchers” (ages 2-5) and “good critics” (ages 6-13)
  • Start to view films selectively and critically, so that they can communicate effectively about the media and avoid being manipulated by it

Gain the basic vocabulary, principles and concepts underlying media literacy.

To bring Literacy Through Media to your school or organization, please contact “Kidsfest” at 773-281-9075 or e-mail kidsfest@facets.org